18 U.S. Code § 506 - Seals of departments or agencies

(1)falsely makes, forges, counterfeits, mutilates, or alters the seal of any department or agency of the United States, or any facsimile thereof;

(2)knowingly uses, affixes, or impresses any such fraudulently made, forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered seal or facsimile thereof to or upon any certificate, instrument, commission, document, or paper of any description; or

(3)with fraudulent intent, possesses, sells, offers for sale, furnishes, offers to furnish, gives away, offers to give away, transports, offers to transport, imports, or offers to import any such seal or facsimile thereof, knowing the same to have been so falsely made, forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered,

shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.

(b)Notwithstanding subsection (a) or any other provision of law, if a forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered seal of a department or agency of the United States, or any facsimile thereof, is—

(1)so forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered;

(2)used, affixed, or impressed to or upon any certificate, instrument, commission, document, or paper of any description; or

with the intent or effect of facilitating an alien’s application for, or receipt of, a Federal benefit to which the alien is not entitled, the penalties which may be imposed for each offense under subsection (a) shall be two times the maximum fine, and 3 times the maximum term of imprisonment, or both, that would otherwise be imposed for an offense under subsection (a).

(c)For purposes of this section—

(1)the term “Federal benefit” means—

(A)the issuance of any grant, contract, loan, professional license, or commercial license provided by any agency of the United States or by appropriated funds of the United States; and

(B)any retirement, welfare, Social Security, health (including treatment of an emergency medical condition in accordance with section 1903(v) of the Social Security Act (19 [1] U.S.C. 1396b(v))), disability, veterans, public housing, education, supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits,[2] or unemployment benefit, or any similar benefit for which payments or assistance are provided by an agency of the United States or by appropriated funds of the United States; and

(2)each instance of forgery, counterfeiting, mutilation, or alteration shall constitute a separate offense under this section.

Reference to persons causing, procuring, aiding or assisting was omitted as unnecessary as such persons are made principals by section
2 of this title.

In view of definitions of department and agency in section
6 of this title, words “department or agency” in first paragraph were substituted for “executive department, or any bureau, commission, or office”.

Provision for 10 years’ imprisonment was reduced to 5 years to conform to punishment provision in section
505 of this title, covering an offense of like gravity.

“Whoever falsely makes, forges, counterfeits, mutilates, or alters the seal of any department or agency of the United States; or

“Whoever knowingly uses, affixes, or impresses any such fraudulently made, forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered seal to or upon any certificate, instrument, commission, document, or paper, of any description; or

“Whoever, with fraudulent intent, possesses any such seal, knowing the same to have been so falsely made, forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered—

“Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.”

1994—Pub. L. 103–322substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.